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Across the country, state and local officials are increasingly focused on improving health outcomes for people living with mental illness or substance use disorders. This brief analyzes national data on behavioral health and reviews published research focused on how Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act advances the goal of improving treatment for people with behavioral health needs. The key findings are the following:
Many of those who could benefit from Medicaid expansion have behavioral health needs. In 2014, an estimated 1.9 million low-income uninsured people with a substance use disorder or a mental illness lived in states that have not yet expanded Medicaid under the
Affordable Care Act.
In addition, people with behavioral health needs make up a substantial share of all low-income uninsured individuals in these states: 28%. While some of these individuals had access to some source of health insurance in 2014, many will gain access to coverage only if their states expand Medicaid, and others would gain access to more affordable coverage.
In states that have not yet expanded, Medicaid expansion would provide considerable benefits for individuals with behavioral health needs and their communities. Among low-income adults, Medicaid expansion is associated with a reduction in unmet need for
mental health and substance use disorder treatment.